VIENNA: Several Opec+ countries, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, agreed on Thursday to extend oil supply cuts for three months through March to avoid a sharp drop in prices in a global market awash in crude.

The decision had been widely expected, though dissension that caused the meeting to be delayed by a few days had created some doubts that the oil cartel would maintain the cuts.

Eight Opec+ countries will extend their `voluntary adjustments` of 2.2million barrels per day until the end of March, the Vienna-based group said in a statement following a virtual meeting.

After that, those cuts `will be gradually phased out` on a monthly basis until the end of September 2026, the group said, adding this is `subject to market conditions`.

Without a new agreement, the eight countries were set to begin increasing production beginning in January to gradually return it to 2023 levels.-AFP